SOrt of OK at most things, but need to work on my confidence - a couple of goes at something hard (techy descent, big drop, jump) and it's fine, but no good for riding trail centres when you want to hit all that forst time.
A bit shit at climbing hills, mind.
I first put wheels on dirt when my bike had stabilisers and the pedals went into the front wheel - over 30 yrs ago - and never stopped, but I have never raced, or been coached. So cycling offroad I'm just completely and utterly at ease, but probably do quite a few things "wrong".
I will happily aim at a lump and jump off it, but actual proper air (gap jumps, kickers, and all that) is alien to me. And this must be fixed sometime!
A lot worse than I remember. 🙂
technically - one of the best of the group (most don't jump, don't have history of riding bmx/downhill)
fitness - low/middle of the group (i don't like going up hills)
Now i only ride XC, so i usually finish in the middle. Had a drunk conversation with my mate the other day, both came to the conclusion that we should winter train and see if we can put our money where our mouth is next year in some races. At least then we'll be able to properly put an end to any false hope.
[url= http://www.pinkbike.com/video/259602/ ]Here's[/url] a video to back up my claims/allow you to rate my riding 😆 If you know the trails, you'll notice that I missed out the middle jump of Transfer Line as I always come up short on that one and almost go over the bars every time 😐 I [i]can[/i] do proper whips now though I think.
Summed in 4 words.
"slower than i'd like"
or
"embarrassingly mincy but enjoyed"
I was comparing him to the average STW rider who goes out not seriously quick riders/racer types
we are all shit in comparison to them [ or in my case old and shit]
thebikechain - MemberSummed in 4 words.
"slower than i'd like"
or
"embarrassingly mincy but enjoyed"
You gonna come with us next year? Please?! We found an alp that needs closing.
*mange tout*
V. possibly the best bald tyre 100mm hardtail vets DH rider in the country.
Confident and know my shit when it comes to riding.
If something's giving me trouble I will work out why and work on it until I'm happy I've sorted out the issue.
Unphased by steepness, technical descents, cambers, jumps, wet roots etc.
Am not afraid to push it too far and crash my brains out.
I can confidently ride switch.
Am fairly smooth and stylish for my age.
Am currently the most unfit I have ever been in my life.
Fairly shit at slow speed shore and know it.(there's not really any round here) .
I don't trust wet woodwork.
Won't drop to flat if it's avoidable and I'll often ride round puddles on dry days.
a solid B grade.
looking at the big dog lap times im a 43 min lapper in the dry on a freeride bike so i guess im just above middle. not really done much xc so my general fitness and sustained power output is low.
looking at the strava DH setions im faster the steeper an techier it gets. probably as i run unsuitable tyres! top 10% on most stuff when ive had a good run and it doesnt involve too much lung busting pedalling.
You gonna come with us next year? Please?! We found an alp that needs closing.*mange tout*
Think i will make it next year, the house should in theory stop absorbing money by then unless we start breeding of course.
Also... i was thinking about saving up and getting awesome for a trip to Downieville in a few years. Up for it? Perfect HD hunting ground.
Well, GW has posted, thread closed?
Am not afraid to push it too far and crash my brains out.
That's where I fail, it makes progression rather slow!
I'll often ride round puddles on dry days.
Nothing wrong with that! Puddles in winter are expected, and par for the course, in summer they're a bloody pain!
Well, GW has posted, thread closed?
Well in his defence he is meant to be a very good rider, and nothing he's said is particularly out of line!
teamhurtmore - Member
Njee -50% (esp. the race bit, but got gold standard in last one!). We should look out for each other mincing at the top of a big local drop off!!
Ok time for an edit. Njee -90%!! Obviously you are one of the guys I watch flying past me!!
@tom - v nice video.
"Old skoooooool"
Defined as - I ride a full susser with discs like a fully rigid with plastic cantis, and I like to stop and look at the views, interesting flora and fauna.
I've 20+ years bmx riding as a base so i'm happy with my bike handling skills but I really could do with being fitter.
When out with mates, I generally hang at the back - partly to make sure everyone makes it down in one piece and partly to see where the **** the trail goes (terrible sense of direction see 😳 ). Also means I get to see them ride which is really cool for me.
No idea if i'm fast as i've never raced. I have ridden with racers/ex-racers and kept up with most of the dh lads without too much drama on the right kind of trail. I don't enjoy feeling like a passenger on a bike though, so I lose out on really rough stuff. The xc racer boys simply leave me for dust.
I love grabbing a little air time but i made a conscious decision when starting mtb to lay off the mid air stunts. No problems styling it up though.
I don't really like drops or wet roots, so tend to be not very good at them. There is for example this 1 log, maybe 9 inches high and it requires you to hop over it. I can never get this right, always end up slowing and pootling over it. 😆
Where fitness is needed i'd say i'm better than average, long climbs are good.
thebikechain - MemberYou gonna come with us next year? Please?! We found an alp that needs closing.
*mange tout*
Think i will make it next year, the house should in theory stop absorbing money by then unless we start breeding of course.
Also... i was thinking about saving up and getting awesome for a trip to Downieville in a few years. Up for it? Perfect HD hunting ground.
Count me in 8)
I'm now your HD buddy 8)
Confident and brainless. Ive learnt to disconnect the fear muscle but this leads to silly mistakes and regular, if minor, injury.
Choosing to ride tiny hardtails singlespeed mean a lot of steep climbs now get walked and my endurance has deteriorated massively since kids came on the scene.
I could also do with riding in groups more often as I tend to get spooked when riders are behind me.
I'm frightened of fast corners on wet roads and Edinburgh taxis.
Approaching adequate skills, hampered by laziness and a chronic lack of confidence. Steep/rocky/steppy a particular hang-up, some evidence would suggest that my abilities on tight switchbacks are somewhat better than my skills elsewhere.
I'm now your HD buddy
It didn't go unnoticed.
*drops in*
Another champion of the [very] small pond here. Put me in the Alps and I sink towards the middle of the pack. Steep slippy off-camber turns not a favourite of mine (finger and front brake far too pally!).
Pretty poor all round.
Not the fastest but not the slowest out of my riding buddies (all 3 of them are FS, I'm HT). So long as I don't have to sprint or anything I can generally keep going for a while. Helped by my 12 mile round trip commute, otherwise I would definitely not be as fit as I am now (not that I'm uber fit for that matter). Dieseling was the word used before I think?
As for technical stuff, I can *nearly* trackstand/ride extremely slowly to check out obstacles/lines, and I can handle rocky/rooty stuff ok, although probably not as fast as most people. I tend to take it at what I see as a decent pace and let the bike do all the work soaking it up. I don't race downhill, I let gravity do it for me. If I can roll a drop then all good. I'll generally try and ride anything so long as it doesn't involve the wheels leaving the ground at the same time. Which leads me onto...
Fairly terrified of getting airborn and can't jump for toffee. I went off a jump on the black run at the top of Cwmcarn too fast by accident and caught some air for what I think was the first time ever (meant to roll over it).
Overall I like to think that I'm a reasonably competent rider, although certainly not racing material. I'm sure I have plenty of bad habits that I've taught myself though.
I've been riding off road for two years, and now place mid-field in the open XC races I've entered on a rigid SS. Nothing really to compare with. I prefer my wheels on the ground, am wary of drop-offs and am generally out-ridden downhill by my 15yo son on a FS.
I am however very fast uphill and love climbing, so then it's payback time!
I'm much better than those who are worse than me and much worse than those who are better than me! I've come a long way but have a long way to go and progress is slowed by my ever present fear of breaking myself... In certain situations I'm pretty damned quick and capable, in others I feel rather slow and incompetent.
Low confidence on drop offs and rocks and roots. Usually leads me to scrub speed and get into trouble. Actually that's when my abilities properly kick in; I'm extremely good at rescuing myself from imminent crashes and bails. Why can't I transfer that skill into riding drops, rocks and roots?
[quote=yossarian ]Low confidence on drop offs and rocks and roots. Usually leads me to scrub speed and get into trouble. Actually that's when my abilities properly kick in; I'm extremely good at rescuing myself from imminent crashes and bails. Why can't I transfer that skill into riding drops, rocks and roots?
That's me also that is 🙂
Rubbish really .
Maybe a 3/10 overall .
Cant / Wont Jump . Drops of more than 12" fill me with fear and dread . Gap Jumps? Not going to happen .
XC racing , Usually end up in the bottom 1/3 . Unless its wet and dark , when my recklessness makes up for my lack of skill and fitness.
Climbs. Get off and push if its a Granny and top.
Cant wheelie or manual and trackstand attempts lead to blood loss normally.
Still , I enjoy what I do and believe I am better at it than reality would imply.
I've never been particularly good (more of a confused roadie than anything else!) Lately it all seems to have got worse too. Been properly mincing through technical stuff... And I can't jump for toffee, despite trying!
muddyfunster - Membercynic-al - Member
How do you rate yourself riding off road? (DH style riding excepted).
Hi Al, not to stir sh*t but why DH excepted?
Only cos most of us are xc riders and are **** at DH!
Happy to hear from DHers...
I follow singletrackmind about.
I used to be brave enough to try dodgy stuff, but don't bother anymore.
Love it though.
You can see why there is a massive market for good coaching. So many riders feel they are lacking in bike skills, me included.
Fat lazy and slow these days. Although I can rise to the occasion if need be. Here's me riding my all mountain steed with blown 2Step Lyric down one of Whistlers signature freeride trails [cough]B-Line[/cough]. Gets arguably more interesting after 3.45....
How do you rate yourself riding off road?
Easily distracted, given to singing inappropriate songs during technical descents, limited to routes near good pubs.
[i]You can see why there is a massive market for good coaching. So many riders feel they are lacking in bike skills, me included.[/i]
No way I 'm paying someone to teach me to ride my bike!
Slow, unfit, technically incompetent, but mostly lucky ... pretty much like I've always been.
Not helped by near continual stop-starting to take photographs, or to look over hedges and at interesting things on the side of the trail and to talk to wildlife / trees / farm animals as I go along.
... but I'm happy, and that's the main thing. 😉
Out of practice..... 🙁
However before about march, v good tech climber, not the fastest climber (but not bad)
Generally pretty good on dh/ tech, have learnt that I don't need to brake for much except corners and enjoy drops and rock gardens etc. Had a pretty nasty crash earlier in the year jumping and now have the fear around jumps. (esp those with a curved launch ramp, if U view from the side) planning to try and get jedied nxt year and sort jumps and get me out of my road bike mindset
Can't really race xc as I never push my body hard enough and am only competative when I know ill win 🙂
Would quite like to try an enduro race, dh racing without the massive jumps.
I'd say Im pretty good. I've got the 4 main core skills dialled:
Bunny hops (english & amercian style), endos, wheelies and skids.
Ive cleared all of the jumps in the Glentress Freeride park (I even X-upped them all once, nearly got sponsorship off my mum after I did that)
Ive done quite a few bike rides that have been over 100 miles in length
I have ridden all of Llangdegla (including the black runs) without getting off and pushing (on a 1x9 setup on a hardtail)
I've nailed some pretty good 360 tabletops (into a foam pit)
And I'm ot to bad at endurance events either - managed an "all nighter" at Burnley skatepark with only a rest for pizza at about 1am.
I think my only weak point is modesty really.
Average low... Usually around the bottom half of any enduro I do. Lower down if I ddo XC.
I just like riding my bike. Don't really compare myself with anyone else. I think I'm probably quite slow. But it's not about that. Most people are faster on here than I am. In fact I'm faster on here than I am. I am good at crashing though, judging by Saturday's performance.
The downhills have got steeper and the rocks are bigger than I remember them from 20 years back when I rode all the time. Having recently got back into riding longer / bigger routes I'm quite pleased with my pace on regular trails. Not into the technical stuff now, I'm aiming to increase distance offroad now.
I'm a 6'4 17stone ogre that used to snap bikes in half often.
Got fed up of having rear wheels built every 4 months so decided to become smooth.
Find it really works for me.
Wish my trails went past reflective shop windows.
Woof woof.
